A bright spot analysis of inland recreational fisheries in the face of climate change: learning about adaptation from small successes

Inland recreational fisheries have social, economic, and ecological importance worldwide but these fisheries are increasingly challenged by the diverse effects of climate change. Coupled with other anthropogenic stressors, climate change has contributed to declines in freshwater biodiversity of greater severity than those observed across marine or terrestrial taxa. At a macro level, inland fisheries are experiencing declines. There are, however, a number of success stories, or ‘bright spots,’ in inland recreational fisheries management, where innovative approaches are leading to increases in social and ecological well-being in the face of climate change. Cases such as these are important sources of inspiration and learning about adaptation to climate and environmental change. In this article, we analyze 11 examples of such ‘bright spots’ drawn from multiple jurisdictions around the world from which we extracted lessons that might apply to fisheries management challenges beyond the region and context of each case. Collectively, these bright spots highlight adaptive initiatives that allow for recreational fisheries management to mitigate to stressors associated with current and future climate change. Examples identified include community-based restoration projects, collaborative and adaptive approaches to short-term fisheries closures, transdisciplinary large-scale conservation projects, and conservation-minded efforts by individuals and communities. By highlighting examples of ‘small wins’ within inland recreational fisheries management, this review contributes to the idea that a ‘positive future’ for inland recreational fisheries in the face of climate change is possible and highlights potential strategies to adapt to current and future climate scenarios.

     

Membrane interactions of the anuran antimicrobial peptide HSP1-NH2: Different aspects of the association to anionic and zwitterionic biomimetic systems

Studies have suggested that antimicrobial peptides act by different mechanisms, such as micellisation, self-assembly of nanostructures and pore formation on the membrane surface. This work presents an extensive investigation of the membrane interactions of the 14 amino-acid antimicrobial peptide hylaseptin P1-NH₂ (HSP1-NH₂), derived from the tree-frog Hyla punctata, which has stronger antifungal than antibacterial potential. Biophysical and structural analyses were performed and the correlated results were used to describe in detail the interactions of HSP1-NH₂ with zwitterionic and anionic detergent micelles and phospholipid vesicles. HSP1-NH₂ presents similar well-defined helical conformations in both zwitterionic and anionic micelles, although NMR spectroscopy revealed important structural differences in the peptide N-terminus. ²H exchange experiments of HSP1-NH₂ indicated the insertion of the most N-terminal residues (1–3) in the DPC-d₃₈ micelles. A higher enthalpic contribution was verified for the interaction of the peptide with anionic vesicles in comparison with zwitterionic vesicles. The pore formation ability of HSP1-NH₂ (examined by dye release assays) and its effect on the size and surface charge as well as on the lipid acyl chain ordering (evaluated by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy) of anionic phospholipid vesicles showed membrane disruption even at low peptide-to-phospholipid ratios, and the effect increases proportionately to the peptide concentration. On the other hand, these biophysical investigations showed that a critical peptide-to-phospholipid ratio around 0.6 is essential for promoting disruption of zwitterionic membranes. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that the binding process of the antimicrobial HSP1-NH₂ peptide depends on the membrane composition and peptide concentration.     

Repeated horizontal gene transfer of GALactose metabolism genes violates Dollo’s law of irreversible loss

Dollo’s law posits that evolutionary losses are irreversible, thereby narrowing the potential paths of evolutionary change. While phenotypic reversals to ancestral states have been observed, little is known about their underlying genetic causes. The genomes of budding yeasts have been shaped by extensive reductive evolution, such as reduced genome sizes and the losses of metabolic capabilities. However, the extent and mechanisms of trait reacquisition after gene loss in yeasts have not been thoroughly studied. Here, through phylogenomic analyses, we reconstructed the evolutionary history of the yeast galactose utilization pathway and observed widespread and repeated losses of the ability to utilize galactose, which occurred concurrently with the losses of GALactose (GAL) utilization genes. Unexpectedly, we detected multiple galactose-utilizing lineages that were deeply embedded within clades that underwent ancient losses of galactose utilization. We show that at least two, and possibly three, lineages reacquired the GAL pathway via yeast-to-yeast horizontal gene transfer. Our results show how trait reacquisition can occur tens of millions of years after an initial loss via horizontal gene transfer from distant relatives. These findings demonstrate that the losses of complex traits and even whole pathways are not always evolutionary dead-ends, highlighting how reversals to ancestral states can occur.     

Overwintering and migration behaviour of post-spawned Atlantic salmon Salmo salar in a large hydropower-regulated river and reservoir

Tracking 47 post-spawned adult Atlantic salmon Salmo salar L. in a hydropower-regulated river through autumn, winter and spring revealed that winter survival was 56% and 75% in two study years, respectively, with higher mortality of males than females (50% vs. 33% and 100% vs. 13%, respectively). Some kelts (n = 7) displayed nondirected movements that were interpreted as a reconditioning period for an average of 9–17 days prior to directed downstream movements indicating the initiation of migration. Survival after the initiation of migration in spring was 83% and 94% to the hydropower dam in the first and second study years, and decreased to 60 and 63%, respectively, after dam passage. There were no further losses in the downriver reach in the second year, with the first year having a cumulative survival estimate of 53% to the river mouth. Kelts approached the dam when the spillway gates were available as a passage option most of the time (64%–75%), but some kelts arrived at the dam or had not yet passed when spillways were closed (n = 6) and the only remaining passage option was restricted to the turbines. However, all but one kelt that must have passed via turbine were successful in reaching the river mouth. Migratory delay presumably due to searching behaviour caused by low water flow was estimated at approximately 6 days as migration rates were significantly slower in the reservoir (median ± s.e. 8.5 ± 2.5 km day⁻¹) than up- (29.7 ± 5.0 km day⁻¹) or downriver (22.1 ± 3.1 km day⁻¹). The proportion of time (median 30%) that kelts spent swimming upstream (searching behaviour) in the reservoir was a significant variable for migration success.     

Childhood rare diseases and the UN convention on the rights of the child

Purpose

The aim of this case control study was to evaluate the prognostic value of automatically quantified retinal vessel tortuosity from fundus images and vessel density from OCT-A in Fabry disease and to evaluate the correlation of these with systemic disease parameters.

Methods

Automatically quantified perimacular retinal vessel tortuosity (MONA REVA software), acquired by fundus imaging, and perifoveal retinal vessel density, acquired by optic coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) were compared between 26 FD patients and 26 controls. Gender and FD phenotype were analyzed to the obtained retinovascular data and correlated to the Mainz severity score index (MSSI) and plasma lyso-Gb3.

Results

Automatically quantified retinal vessel tortuosity indices of FD patients were significantly lower, reflecting an increased vessel tortuosity, compared to controls (p = 0.008). Males with a classical phenotype showed significantly lower retinal vessel tortuosity indices compared to males with an oligosymptomatic phenotype and females with a classical or oligosymptomatic phenotype (p < 0.001). The retinal vessel tortuosity index correlated significantly with systemic disease severity parameters [global MSSI (r = − 0.5; p < 0.01), cardiovascular MSSI (r = − 0.5; p < 0.01), lyso-Gb3 (r = − 0.6; p < 0.01)].

Conclusion

We advocate fundus imaging based automatically quantified retinal vessel tortuosity index over OCT-A imaging as it is a quick, non-invasive, easily assessable, objective and reproducible marker.

     

Computer-Guided Trypanocidal Activity of Natural Lactones Produced by Endophytic Fungus of Euphorbia umbellata

Hundreds of millions of people worldwide are affected by Chagas’ disease caused by Trypanosoma cruzi. Since the current treatment lack efficacy, specificity, and suffers from several side-effects, novel therapeutics are mandatory. Natural products from endophytic fungi have been useful sources of lead compounds. In this study, three lactones isolated from an endophytic strain culture were in silico evaluated for rational guidance of their bioassay screening. All lactones displayed in vitro activity against T. cruzi epimastigote and trypomastigote forms. Notably, the IC₅₀ values of (+)-phomolactone were lower than benznidazole (0.86 vs. 30.78 μM against epimastigotes and 0.41 vs. 4.88 μM against trypomastigotes). Target-based studies suggested that lactones displayed their trypanocidal activities due to T. cruzi glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (TcGAPDH) inhibition, and the binding free energy for all three TcGAPDH-lactone complexes suggested that (+)-phomolactone has a lower score value (−3.38), corroborating with IC₅₀ assays. These results highlight the potential of these lactones for further anti-T. cruzi drug development.     

Regulation of autophagy as a therapeutic option in glioblastoma

Apoptosis - Around three out of one hundred thousand people are diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme, simply called glioblastoma, which is the most common primary brain tumor in adults. With a...     

Oystershell scale: an emerging invasive threat to aspen in the southwestern US

Biological Invasions - Oystershell scale (OSS; Lepidosaphes ulmi) is an emerging invasive insect that poses a serious threat to conservation of quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) in the...